Trump Says "Deal or End" for Iran; Iranian Official Calls It "Delusional"

▲ President Donald Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump ramped up pressure regarding negotiations to end the conflict with Iran on July 6 (local time), stating, "We will either make a deal, or we will end it."

According to Reuters and other reports, President Trump made the remarks at the White House, adding, "Ending it would not be very difficult."

"We could take out their bridges in an hour, and we could cut off their energy supply," he said. "They have no money right now. We have given them no money."

He added, "I would rather make a deal because I don't want to affect the 91 million people (Iran's population)."

In response, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, dismissed President Trump's remarks as "delusional" via Iranian state media.

"The Iranian people are not accustomed to the language of threats, so speak to us with respect," he retorted. "Otherwise, we will respond in a different language."

Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister and a member of the Iranian negotiating team, also addressed President Trump on X (formerly Twitter), urging, "If the threats continue, negotiations for a final agreement will not begin. Keep to what you have signed."

He was calling for compliance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to end the conflict, in which the U.S. and Iran agreed to refrain from military threats or the use of force against each other.

This war of nerves comes as Iran holds the funeral for its former Supreme Leader Khamenei, who died following attacks by the U.S. and Israel.

Analysts suggest that the funeral has strengthened the voices of hardliners opposing the U.S. within Iran, while the influence of moderate politicians who prioritize negotiations has relatively diminished.

Attention is also focused on whether Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his late father as Supreme Leader, will make an appearance during the funeral.

According to Reuters, as of July 7, the fourth day of the funeral, Mojtaba has not appeared at the event site or in any official capacity.

While Iranian state TV broadcasted footage of Mojtaba's three brothers attending funeral prayers on July 5, Mojtaba was not present.

Reuters noted, "Mojtaba's absence from the funeral is fueling speculation about his health and his ability to exercise authority as Supreme Leader."

It remains unclear whether Mojtaba will attend during the remainder of the week-long funeral schedule.

In this regard, AFP reported that Mojtaba might attend the burial ceremony on July 9, the final day of the funeral.

As the funeral schedule concludes with the burial ceremony in Mashhad, a Shiite holy city in northeastern Iran and Khamenei's hometown, there is a possibility that Mojtaba could make a dramatic appearance.

Conversely, the Middle Eastern broadcaster Al Jazeera reported that Mojtaba is expected to skip the funeral due to security concerns.

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